Modified technique of endocapsular lens aspiration for severely subluxated lenses

Purpose Severely subluxated crystalline lenses pose a difficult situation to anterior segment surgeons and can only be managed surgically by removal of the lens as well as the capsular bag. Several techniques have been described in literature for the management of such cases. We describe a modified technique of endocapsular lens aspiration by the limbal route for lens extraction through small incisions on the cornea. Patients and methods Thirty-two eyes of 16 consecutive patients with severely subluxated crystalline lenses were recruited in the study. All eyes underwent a modified technique of lens aspiration within the capsular bag using a single instrument, vitrectomy cutter, and irrigation cannula, followed by sacrificing of the capsular bag. The patients were either left aphakic or implanted with an open loop anterior chamber intraocular lens (ACIOL Kelman Multiflex) and prospectively followed up for a period of 3 months. Results The mean age of the patients was 9 years 3 months +/- 3 years (range 5-15 yrs). All eyes underwent complete lens aspiration within the capsular bag with no dislocation of the lens matter. ACIOL was inserted in 22 eyes (68.7%) and 10 eyes (31.2%) were left aphakic. All the surgeries were uneventful. The mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 3 months post surgery was 0.47 +/- 0.11 logMAR which was significantly better than pre-operative BCVA (P = 0.001). The percentage endothelial cell loss at 3 months was 7.1%. There was no evidence of glaucoma, corneal decompensation, or retinal detachment. The astigmatism which increased from 1.45D +/- 086 preoperatively to 3.76D +/- 2.02 1 week post-operatively due to sutures reduced to 1.97D +/- 0.81 post suture removal at 3 months. Conclusion The modified technique of endocapsular lens aspiration proves to be a simple and effective method of removal of the lens-capsular bag complex in severely subluxated lenses.